INTELLIGENT DESIGN OF GATING CHANNELS FOR CASTING

A systematic and integrated approach to automate the design of gating channels for casting is presented. The type of gating system and the l ayout of gating channels are selected by a set of rules stored in a kn owledge base. A decision tree incorporating a conflict resolution mech anism has been developed to compute various parameters of the gating s ystem and view the effect of changing a particular parameter on others . Simplified simulation of molten metal impingement, flow, and filling in the mould is carried out, followed by quantitative assessment of t he entire gating system using a set of sixteen criteria. This approach enables rapid modification of the gating design and if necessary, the casting design, to achieve the required quality and yield. The result s of the program developed in this investigation are presented for a t hree-dimensional model of a valve casting.